Activation of histone gene transcription by nonhistone chromosomal proteins in WI-38 human diploid fibroblasts

Intracellular distribution of histone mRNAs in human fibroblasts studied by in situ hybridization

We have used in situ hybridization to study the intracellular distribution of mRNAs for cell cycle-dependent core and H1 histone proteins in human WI-38 fibroblasts. Because histones are abundant nuclear proteins and histone mRNA expression is tightly coupled to DNA synthesis, it was of interest to determine whether histone mRNAs are localized near the nucleus. Cells were hybridized with tritiated DNA probes specific for either histone H1, histone H4, actin, or poly(A)+ mRNA and were processed for autoradiography. In exponentially growing cultures, the fraction of histone mRNA-positive cells correlated well with the fraction of cells in S phase and was eliminated by hydroxyurea inhibition of DNA synthesis. Within individual cells the label for histone mRNA was widely distributed throughout the cytoplasm and did not appear to be more heavily concentrated near the nucleus. However, histone mRNA appeared to exhibit patchy, nonhomogeneous localization, and a quantitative evaluation confirmed that grain distributions were not as uniform as they were after hybridizations to poly(A)+ mRNA. Actin mRNA in WI-38 cells was also widely distributed throughout the cytoplasm but differed from histone mRNA in that label for actin mRNA was frequently most dense at the outermost region of narrow cell extensions. The localization of actin mRNA was less pronounced but qualitatively very similar to that previously described for chicken embryonic myoblasts and fibroblasts. We conclude that localization of histones in WI-38 cells is not facilitated by localization of histone protein synthesis near the nucleus and that there are subtle but discrete and potentially functional differences in the distributions of histone, actin, and poly(A)+ mRNAs.

Is human histone gene expression autogenously regulated?

It has been well documented that core and H1 histone mRNAs accumulate in a manner which closely parallels the initiation of DNA synthesis and histone protein synthesis, suggesting that the onset of histone gene expression early during S phase is at least in part transcriptionally mediated. In fact, it appears that throughout S phase the synthesis of histone proteins is modulated by the availability of histone mRNAs. On the other hand, the stability of histone mRNAs and the destabilization of histone mRNAs when DNA replication is completed or inhibited are highly selective, tightly coupled and largely post-transcriptionally controlled. We present a model to account for histone mRNA turnover whereby the natural or inhibitor-induced termination of DNA replication results in an immediate loss of high affinity binding sites for newly synthesized histone proteins which in turn brings about a transient accumulation of unbound histones. These unbound histones could modify the histone translation complex, via interactions with polysomal histone mRNAs, in such a manner as to render histone mRNAs accessible to cellular ribonucleases. This type of mechanism would be operative solely at the post-transcriptional level and would be compatible with the rapid, RNA synthesis-independent destabilization of histone mRNAs which occurs following inhibition of DNA replication, as well as with the requirement for protein synthesis for histone mRNA destabilization to be initiated.

Differential inhibition of transcription of DNA by melanoma chromosomal proteins

Histones and 4 nuclear nonhistone protein fractions (NHP1-4) were extracted from nuclei of a Cloudman mouse melanoma cell line (NCTC 3960, CCL 53) and tested for their ability to bind to DNA and influence transcription. The histones and NHP fractions showed different binding affinities for DNA, with the histones and NHP1 exhibiting the highest affinity. The NHP fractions differentially affected both the rate of RNA synthesis and the size of RNA transcribed. NHP1 which inhibited RNA synthesis to the greatest extent, inhibited synthesis of all sizes of RNA except for major peaks of 28S and 8S RNS and discrete minor peaks of 7S, 6S, 5S, and 4S RNS. Histones markedly enhanced the effect of NHP1 on RNA synthesis. These results suggest that there are nonhistone proteins in Cloudman melanoma nuclei which have a high affinity for DNA and which may be involved in the regulation of transcription.

Organization of human histone genes

We describe the isolation and initial characterization of seven independent lambda Charon 4A recombinant phages which contain human histone genomic sequences (designated lambda HHG). Restriction maps of these clones and localization of the genes coding for histones H2A, H2B, H3, and H4 are presented. The presence of histone encoding regions in the lambda HHG clones was demonstrated by several independent criteria including hybridization with specific DNA probes, hybrid selection/in vitro translation, and hybridization of lambda HHG DNAs to reserve Southern blots containing cytoplasmic RNAs from G1-, S-, and arabinofuranosylcytosine (cytosine arabinoside)-treated S-phase cells. In addition, the lambda HHG DNAs were shown to protect in vivo labeled H4 mRNAs from S1 nuclease digestion. Based on the analysis of the lambda HHG clones, human histone genes appear to be clustered in the genome. However, gene clusters do not seem to be present in identical tandem repeats. The lambda HHG clones described in this report fall into at least three distinct types of arrangement. One of these arrangements contains two coding regions for each of the histones H3 and H4. The arrangement of histone genes in the human genome, therefore, appears to be different from that in the sea urchin and Drosophila genomes in which each of the five histone-encoding regions (H1, H2A, H2B, H3, and H4) is present only once in each tandemly repeated cluster. At least one clone, lambda HHG 41, contains, in addition to the histone genes, a region that hybridizes with a cytoplasmic RNA approximately 330 nucleotides in length. This RNA is not similar in size to known histone-encoding RNAs and is present in the cytoplasm of HeLa cells predominantly in the G1 phase of the cell cycle.

Histone proteins in HeLa S3 cells are synthesized in a cell cycle stage specific manner

The synthesis of histone proteins in G1 and S phase HeLa S3 cells was examined by two-dimensional electrophoretic fractionation of nuclear and total cellular proteins. Newly synthesized histones were detected only in S phase cells. Histone messenger RNA sequences, as detected by hybridization with cloned human histone genes, were present in the cytoplasm of S phase but not G1 cells.

Regulation of specific genes during the cell cycle. Utilization of homologous cDNAs and cloned sequences for studying histone gene expression in human cells

Evidence for differential gene expression during the cell cycle and approaches for studying cell-cycle-stage specific gene expression are summarized. Attention is focused on regulation of histone gene expression during the cell cycle of continuously dividing cells and after stimulation of nondividing cells to proliferate. The level(s) at which control of histone gene expression occurs and the possible involvement of chromosomal proteins in the regulation of histone gene expression are discussed. The preparation of cloned human histone sequences and their use in studying the structural and functional properties of human histone genes are presented. Index Entries: Cell cycle, gene regulation during; gene regulation, during the cell cycle; regulation of specific genes, during the cell cycle; DNAs, homologous, and histone gene expression; cloned DNAs, and histone gene expression; histone gene expression; gene expression, histone; cloned human histone sequences.

Procollagen mRNA metabolism during the fibroblast cell cycle and its synthesis in transformed cells

Procollagen mRNA was isolated from mouse embryos and used for the synthesis of a highly labelled cDNA probe complementary to collagen mRNA. This probe was used for the investigation of procollagen mRNA metabolism during the cell cycle of 3T6 mouse embryo fibroblasts in culture. Titration hybridization experiments revealed that procollagen mRNA was present throughout the cell cycle following stumulation of confluent monolayers. Procollagen mRNA levels of sparse cultures appeared similar to those of unstimulated monolayers. The fluctuating levels of collagen synthesis during the cell cycle can be ascribed to changes in the amount of collagen mRNA present. In mouse sarcoma virus transformed 3T3 cells only 20--30% of the amount of procollagen mRNA in 3T3 cells is present indicating that the decline in collagen synthesis is due to mRNA availability.

Germination-induced Changes in Chromosomal Proteins of Spring and Winter Wheat Embryos

The template activity of chromatin from winter wheat embryos gradually increased during germination and was regulated with some nonhistone proteins different from the two major ones, molecular weight 39k and 59k polypeptides, previously reported.To clarify chromosomal proteins which are involved in regulation of template activity of chromatin, we studied the quantitative and qualitative changes in chromosomal proteins. Differences in acid-soluble and acid-insoluble proteins between chromatins from wheat germ and embryos germinated for various times were visualized by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis.Nonhistone proteins of 39k, 41k, and 50k molecular weights were specifically present in wheat germ and in 24- or 48-hour germinated wheat embryos, thereafter greatly reduced or finally disappeared. In contrast, nonhistone protein of 37k was absent in germ and in embryos germinated for 24 hours and appeared after 48 hours of germination. Thereafter it was present in abundant amounts in 96-hour germinated winter wheat embryos and in 72-hour germinated spring embryos, corresponding to 7 and 10% of total nonhistone proteins, respectively. Histone H1, especially H1d, was slightly reduced after 48-hour germination, as much as basic nonhistone proteins having electrophoretic mobilities between H1d and H2B. Further-more, similarity and diversity of chromosomal proteins between spring and winter wheat embryos are shown in this study. A subspecies of histone H1c of spring wheat had faster electrophoretic mobility than that of winter wheat.

[Regulatory proteins in chromatin of eucaryotes]

Experimental evidence for a role of histones and chromosomal nonhistone proteins in the regulation of transcription in eucaryots is described. A speculative model on the regulation of gene activity in higher organisms is presented.

Nuclear nonhistone proteins in murine melanoma cells: II. changes following exposure to MSH

Murine melanoma cells provide an excellent system for studying the proposed role of nuclear nonhistone proteins (NHP's) as regulators of gene expression. Cloudman mouse melanoma cells (S91, NCTC 3960, CCL 53), grown in culture, are normally lightly pigmented, but in the presence of melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) show a large increase in melanin content. Cells were grown in medium with and withoug MSH and labeled with either 14C- or 3H-leucine, respectively. Following 48 hr of incubation, the cells were harvested, combined, and nuclei isolated. The NHPs were extracted from these nuclei in a series of steps which yielded 4 major fractions. Each fraction was further separated on DEAE cellulose columns into a total of 40 subfractions, each of which was electrophoresed on SDS gels. Each gel was sliced and counted and the 14C/3H ratio was determined for each slice. A number of differences in 14C/3H ratios were observed between the NHPs isolated from MSH-treated and control cells which reflect changes in the synthesis and/or transport of NHPs in MSH-treated cells.

Noncoincidence of histone and DNA synthesis in cleavage cycles of early development

The times of histone and DNA synthesis do not coincide in early cleavage of the sea urchin embryo. In fact, the production of histones increases during the interval after DNA synthesis (G2). Enucleate merogones, parthenogenetically activated, synthesize histones encoded upon maternal histone messenger RNA. The pattern of protein synthesis changes following fertilization, in part, but not solely, due to the increasing synthesis of histones relative to other proteins. Regulation of histone synthesis and the loading of newly replicated DNA with histones must themselves undergo change at the time of transition from cleavage cycles to cycles more typical of somatic cells.